A NURSE said it was “an oversight” to fail to report an accident which forced an elderly woman to suffer for two days with an untreated broken hip.

Andrew Fletcher claimed he had become “distracted” after seeing Margaret Rogerson fall in Goldielea home, near Dumfries.

He was struck off the medical register on Tuesday when a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing found he also failed to report the fall to colleagues during two shift changes.

All the time, Miss Rogerson was suffering but unable to communicate her distress due to dementia.

The tragic incident happened over a weekend in March 2009 and Miss Rogerson only received medical attention when a senior manager came in on the Monday morning.

The care home resident died in Dumfries Infirmary four days later, at the age of 90. Her family believe she suffered unnecessarily because of Fletcher’s failings.

The 50-year-old, of New Galloway, did not show up to the NMC fitness to practice panel in Edinburgh this week. He had told an NMC case officer that they should “do what they like”.

The panel heard that after the senior manager discovered Miss Rogerson’s situation, Fletcher was hauled in for a meeting when he admitted that an accident form hadn’t been filled in.

At a subsequent disciplinary hearing, Fletcher said “this was an oversight on his part and that he was sorry”. He was then sacked by Goldielea bosses.

The NMC panel heard that Fletcher had filled in accident forms for other residents in the past. Evidence was also given by the care home’s then manager Sheila Cowan and Darren Irving, a charge nurse who took over from Fletcher’s nightshift on the Saturday morning after Miss Rogerson’s fall and again 24 hours later on the Sunday.

Mr Irving told the panel that, in the absence of being alerted to her fall, he wrongly attributed Miss Rogerson’s discomfort and behaviour to other causes.

Mr Irving said he was “taken aback” Fletcher had not relayed information about the fall and “did not appear to grasp the seriousness of his omission”.

The panel agreed to strike Fletcher off stating: “We consider this is appropriate. It is our view that Mr Fletcher presents a continuing risk to patients should he remain on the register.”